Your puppy loves to sleep and sleep and sleep some more. Is something wrong with the puppy?
The answer is probably not. Although there is no specific prescribed amount of sleep for puppies, you will find that the little balls of fur will probably spend twice as much as time sleeping as you do.
Nap and sleep times vary greatly between breeds. Some puppies are satisfied with 14 hours of sleep. Others may need up to 19 or 20 hours of rest in a 24-hour period. Don’t be concerned if your puppy naps most of the day unless you notice other issues that could indicate a health problem. However, you do need to make sure that your puppy reacts to noises and activities in his or her environment. Failure to become alert when action happens could indicate a hearing problem.
A dog’s activity level has a lot to do with the amount and length of naps. For example, working dogs tend to nap less than house pets do because they are used to a series of activities that keep them alert and moving. House pets have a lot more time to become bored and naps are one means of overcoming the boredom.
Be sure to provide plenty of activity and exercise for your puppy. The amount of exercise needed varies greatly from puppy to puppy. Provide toys that the puppy can occupy him or herself with. Play with the puppy so that you are not promoting a lazy lifestyle that will lead to obesity.
Although puppies sleep more than humans, they do tend to wake up more frequently.
Did you know that dogs have the same sleep patterns as humans? When your puppy goes to sleep, he or she enters the quiet phase of sleep. This means the dog is oblivious to the surroundings. Breathing slows. The body temperature and heart rate decreases.
Within about 10 minutes, the puppy enters the rapid eye movement (REM) stage of sleep. This is also known as the active stage. You may notice that your puppy’s eyes move. He or she may bark or appear as though they are running. It is believed that your puppy is capable of dreaming during this sleep stage.
Experts say that adult dogs spend up to 12 percent of their sleep time in the REM stage. Puppies spend even longer in the active sleep stage.
Some puppies become so involved in playing that they forget to rest. When this happens, it is important that you force your puppy to take a nap. If he or she is crate trained, put the puppy inside the crate for a 15 to 30 minute period of rest. Otherwise, encourage the puppy to get into bed. Dim the lights in the room. Quietly leave. If your puppy whines, barks or cries, it is best to ignore the sounds until the dog gives up and lays down in bed.
Don’t let children or other adults disturb a napping puppy. It’s a good time to practice the old adage, “Leave sleeping dogs lie.”
Related posts:
- Stages of Puppy Development
- How to Get Your Puppy to Sleep on the First Few Nights Home
- Weight Control
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